REO Speedwagon’s Neal Doughty Retires From Touring 

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Neal Doughty of REO Speedwagon performs during the REO Speedwagon benefit concert at Fred Kavli Theatre on January 13, 2019 in Thousand Oaks, California. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images)

While promising fans that he’s going to “keep on loving you,” REO Speedwagon keyboardist and founding member Neal Doughty has broken the news he’s retiring from touring. 

“I want everyone to know that it was all that traveling that finally got to me,” Doughty said in a statement. “I always enjoyed playing the shows and looking out to see all the loyal fans who allowed me to do this for so long.”

An announcement notes that the time was right to enjoy the fruits of his year of hard work after spending his entire adult life on the road since founding the rock band in Champaign, Illinois, in 1966. 

“Neal will always be a member of the REO brotherhood,” says bassist Bruce Hall, “and we all wish him well as he enters this exciting phase of his life.”

Singer Kevin Cronin added, “It will be a big change to look around and not see Neal behind the keyboards and we will miss his quick wit and interesting conversation on those long bus rides. But this is what Neal needs, and we support him.”

The REO Speedwagon and Styx co-bill tour was one of the most popular of 2022, ranking No. 68 on Pollstar’s Year End Top North American Tours chart with a gross of $21.1 million. The tour submitted reports for 37 shows with an average gross of $570,513 and an average of 10,701 tickets sold per night. 

REO will continue rocking with more than 50 shows already on the books for 2023. This week’s announcement notes Doughty may join the band on select stops.